So, when will Sherffius win a Pulitzer for his cartoons? Did you see what he had to say about the tax cut legislation?
Sherffius cartoon on tax cuts, from the Boulder Daily Camera
Sherffius on tax cuts for the rich: When does he get the Pulitzer?
December 11, 2010
50 Comments | 
Cartoons, Political cartoons, Politics, Taxes | Tagged: Cartoons, Government, Political cartoons, Politics, Sherffius, Taxes | 
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Posted by Ed Darrell
SBOE shames Texas, part I: Wilkinson on cutting the Enlightenment out
April 18, 2010
Signe Wilkinson, Philadelphia Daily News, March 17, 2010 - Texas education board cuts Enlightenment from curriculum
Signe Wilkinson cartoons for the Philadelphia Daily News. She won a Pulitzer for political cartoons in 1992, the first woman to win that award (about time!).
Leave a Comment » | Cartoons, Education, Education quality, Social Studies, State school boards, Texas | Tagged: Cartoons, Curriculum, Education, Enlightenment, Political cartoons, Politics, Social Studies, state board of education, State Standards, Texas | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Health care legislation as Waterloo – Oliphant (and Benson)
April 17, 2010
Pat Oliphant on health care legislation as Obama's Waterloo, March 23, 2010 - Washington Post
How’s that “make health care Obama’s Waterloo” working out for you, Sen. Demint?
Didn’t expect Obama to be Wellington at Waterloo, eh?
See Steve Benson’s take, below the fold.
33 Comments | Cartoons, Health care, History, Political cartoons, Politics, Santayana's ghost | Tagged: Cartoons, Health Care Reform, History, Pat Oliphant, Political cartoons, Politics, Santayana's ghost, Steve Benson, Waterloo | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Benson courts controversy: Obama’s political resurrection
April 17, 2010When he interned for our office, he was such a clean-cut, return-missionary sort of guy. Steve Benson’s cartoons continually push the envelope for what is acceptable in an editorial cartoon, not exactly what I had come to expect from his early work with conservatives. A welcome surprise.
This one was probably quite controversial in Phoenix, don’t you think?
Steve Benson in the Arizona Republic, on the Affordable Care Act and President Obama, April 2, 2010
22 Comments | Barack Obama, Cartoons, Health care, Political cartoons, Politics | Tagged: Arizona Republic, Cartoons, Health Care Reform, Obama, Political cartoons, Politics, Steve Benson | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
SBOE shames Texas, part G: Toles in the Washington Post
April 11, 2010
Pulitzer Prize-winner Tom Toles in the Washington Post, March 19, 2010
It’s pretty embarrassing when the State Board of Education’s actions leave Texas open to jokes about whether Texans remember the Alamo. Remembering the Alamo is as much a Texas monument or icon as anything else — maybe moreso.
Tom Toles demonstrates why Texas should be embarrassed by the Texas State Board of Education’s work on social studies standards.
1 Comment | Cartoons, Education, Education assessment, History, Political cartoons, Politics, State school boards, TAKS, TEKS, Texas | Tagged: Cartoons, Education, History, Political cartoons, Politics, Social Studies, state board of education, Texas, Tom Toles | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
SBOE shames Texas, part D: Mario Piperni and unintended consequences
April 10, 2010
Cartoon by Mario Piperni on the Texas State Board of Education, on any number of subjects
Have never seen this guy’s work before. Does he publish in a newspaper that is lucky to have him?
1 Comment | Cartoons, History, Political cartoons, Social Studies, State school boards, Texas, Texas history | Tagged: Cartoons, History, Political cartoons, Social Studies, Texas, Texas State Board of Education | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Education board shames Texas: Nick Anderson’s view from 2009, part C
March 31, 2010
Nick Anderson of the Houston Chronicle on Texas SBOE social studies standards, in 2009
2 Comments | Accuracy, Cartoons, Economics, Education, Education quality, History, Political cartoons, Politics, Separation of church and state, Social Studies, State school boards, TEKS, Texas | Tagged: Accuracy, Cartoons, Education, education standards, History, Houston Chronicle, Nick Anderson, Political cartoons, Politics, Social Studies, state board of education, Texas | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Education board shames Texas: Ben Sargent and Texas education follies, part B
March 31, 2010Ben Sargent, Austin American-Statesman (GoComics) March 17, 2010
(I first saw a Ben Sargent cartoon published in the Daily Utah Chronicle in about 1974. 35 years of great stuff from that guy. He officially retired from the Austin American-Statesman in 2009, running one cartoon a week now.)
Tip of the old scrub brush, again, to Steven Schafersman and What Would Jack Do.
Also note this January cartoon from Sargent:
Texas State Board of Education social studies curricula - Ben Sargent, Austin American-Statesman, January 24, 2010
Leave a Comment » | Education, Education quality, History, History Revisionism, Political cartoons, Politics, Separation of church and state, Social Studies, State school boards, Texas | Tagged: Ben Sargent, Education, education standards, Political cartoons, Social Studies, state board of education, Texas | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Lurie/UN Award, 2nd place cartoon
January 10, 2010
2nd place cartoon in the 2009 Ranan Lurie/UN Awards -- by Silvan Wegmann, Sonntag (Switzerland)
What if Obama can’t live up to the hopes Europe has for him? This cartoon won 2nd place, $5000, for Swiss cartoonist Silvan Wegmann in the Ranan Lurie/UN Cartoon competition.
2 Comments | Barack Obama, Cartoons, Europe, foreign affairs, Political cartoons, Politics, President Obama, Presidents | Tagged: 2009, Barack Obama, Cartoons, Europe, Lurie/UN Awards, Political cartoons, Politics, Silvan Wegmann | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Millard Fillmore in cartoons: “Buck” takes the pot (1856 presidential elections)
January 1, 2010The first Republican Party nominee to the presidency, Gen. John C. Fremont, has stumbled and is spread out on the floor. Former Whig, now American Native Party (Know-Nothings) candidate Millard Fillmore carries a lantern, but is blindfolded. James Buchanan takes the pot of soup, victory in the 1856 presidential race.
From the Library of Congress American Memory Collection, published by Currier and Ives in 1856:
"Buck Takes the Pot, 1856 cartoon published by Currier and Ives - Library of Congress
Captions in the balloons, as read by the Library of Congress:
SUMMARY: A pro-Buchanan satire, critical of the divisive or sectionalist appeal of the other two presidential contenders in the 1856 race. “Buck” or Buchanan (left) has evidently won a card game over Fremont (fallen at right) and Millard Fillmore (at right, blindfolded).
Holding four aces and a large cauldron of “Union Soup” Buchanan vows, “I have fairly beaten them at their own game, and now that I have became possessed of this great “Reservoir” I will see that each and Every State of this great and glorious Union receives its proper Share of this sacred food.”
Fremont has tripped over a “Rock of Disunion” and fallen to the ground, still holding his large spoon “Abolition.” He laments, “Oh, that I had been born a dog!–This is too much for mortal man to bear. Had I not stumbled over that “Blasted” rock I might have reached the fount of my ambition and with this good ladle ‘Deal’ to the North, and leave the South to ‘Shuffle & Cut’ off their mortal coil, by starvation, I shall have to ‘Pass’!”
Behind Fremont, Fillmore wanders blindfolded, holding a Know Nothing lantern (reflecting his party’s nativist affiliation) and a spoon. He despairs, “I regret to say that ‘Going It Blind’ is a loosing Game, I did hope that I would be able to dip my spoon in the Pot without much difficulty.–My Hand is played out–‘Buck’ wins, and I am satisfied–Four aces can’t be beat! and Buck holds them.”
One severe handicap of these 19th century cartoons: They are much too wordy!
Leave a Comment » | Campaigns, Cartoons, Millard Fillmore, Political cartoons, Politics | Tagged: 1856 Elections, Campaigns, James Buchanan, John C. Fremont, Millard Fillmore, Political cartoons, Politics | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Millard Fillmore in cartoons: “The Great Presidential Race of 1856”
December 31, 2009Four years out of the presidency, some voters thought Millard Fillmore might be a good candidate again. His old Whig Party was dead, but he won the nomination of the Know-Nothings, or the Native American Party (“Native American” not meaning “American Indian” at the time).
In this race, he was portrayed in a number of editorial cartoons.
The Great Presidential Race of 1856, political cartoon featuring Millard Fillmore, and some of the ugly biases of the day. Library of Congress, Alfred Whital Stern Lincolnia Collection - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,attributed to J. L. Magee
* Update: Links to the cartoon are working badly, or not at all; check image at this thumbnail:
Millard Fillmore in the 1856 presidential race (warning - some images may be offensive for racial portrayals)
Remember, this was two years before Sen. Stephen Douglas and former Rep. Abraham Lincoln squared off for the Illinois U.S. Senate seat in a series of debates. This was four years prior to Lincoln’s election as president, and five years to the Civil War.
2 Comments | Campaigns, Cartoons, Millard Fillmore, Political cartoons, Politics, Presidents | Tagged: 1856 Election, Millard Fillmore, Political cartoons | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Ranan Lurie 2009 cartoon winners – first place to Robert Ariail
December 28, 2009My apologies for not being more timely.
The United Nations Correspondents Association and the UN Society of Writers and Artists announced the winners of the 2009 Ranan Lurie/UN Cartoon Awards earlier this month. First place, and $10,000, went to Robert Ariail, cartooning in The State.
Ariail’s winner is a clever depiction of a commuter making the most of advertising for $4.00/gallon gasoline, becoming a bicycle commuter in the process.
Robert Ariail's First Place cartoon, 2009 Ranan Lurie UN Cartoon Award competition ($10,000)
Ariail's self-portrait -- he is without portfolio at the moment
Sad news, too typical for cartoonists these days — Ariail was laid off from The State before the award announcements. You can see Ariail’s work at his website. (This may be a better copy of his award-winning cartoon.)
Hey! Mr. Murdoch! Want to do some public service and promote your news organizations? Hire Ariail, and some of the other laid-off cartoonists whose visual opinions we sorely need in these complex and too-somber times. (Anyone else who owns a newspaper, or edits one, should consider doing a favor for cartooning and the public, too.)
Go check out the other cartoons, all the way through honorable mention. There are some spectactular, funny, and stinging works there. I’ll post a few of them as we near 2010, but you can look now.
Top three:
- First prize, $10,000 – Robert Ariail, The State (U.S.A.)
- Second prize, $5,000 – Silvan Wegmann, Sonntag (Switzerland)
- Third prize, $3,000 – Shlomo Cohen, Israel Hayom (Israel)
Citations for excellence:
- Guy Badeaux, Le Droit (Canada)
- Michael Kontouris, Eleftheros Tipos (Greece)
- Agim Sulaj, Romagna Corriere (Italy)
- David Pope, The Canberra Times (Australia)
- Zhu Zizun, Jiaxing Daily (China)
- Michael Keefe, The Denver Post (U.S.A.)
- Xiaoqiang Hou, Cartoon Weekly (China)
- Makhmud Eshonkulov, Himal (Republic of Nepal)
- Rex Babin, The Sacramento Bee (U.S.A.)
- Fruz Kutal, Amnesty International “Magasinet” (Norway)
Share these cartoons — keep cartoonists employed:
2 Comments | Cartoons, Economics, Energy, Environmental protection, Political cartoons, Politics, United Nations | Tagged: Cartoons, Political cartoons, Politics, Ranan Lurie, Robert Ariail, UN Correspondents Association, United Nations | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
David Horsey can’t draw that, can he?
August 27, 2009Sometimes the only bastion of sanity on the editorial pages is the editorial cartoon. David Horsey at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has good one’s all the time, and especially over the past few weeks of the Congressional recess.
But, did the P-I actually print* this one?
Cartoon by David Horsey, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, copyright 2009; August 22, 2009
Cartoon by David Horsey, August 22, 2009, Seattle Post-Intelligencer (on-line); Copyright to Seattle P-I and David Horsey.
* Well, of course they didn’t actually print it . . . publish? post? release?
Special tip of the old scrub brush to Blue Ollie, who reposted this cartoon and thereby preserved the image.
1 Comment | Cartoons, Journalism, Newspapers, Political cartoons, Politics, Second Amendment, U.S. Constitution | Tagged: David Horsey, Guns, Political cartoons, Politics, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Second Amendment, Town Meetings | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Cartoons: Bill Mauldin on DDT
May 16, 2009Bill Mauldin rose to fame drawing cartoons from the fronts during World War II, first as a soldier, and then as the cartoonist for Stars and Stripes. He won the Pulitzer Prize for cartooning in 1945. After the war he continued to be a major force in American culture, eventually cartooning for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and quickly winning a second Pulitzer, and then with the Chicago Sun-Times, with drawings syndicated to other newspapers around the world.
In 1962 Mauldin turned his pen to DDT and the controversy created in part by Rachel Carson’s best-selling book Silent Spring.
CREDIT: Mauldin, Bill, artist. “Another such victory and I am undone” Copyright 1962, Field Enterprises, Inc. Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress.
3 Comments | Cartoons, DDT, Environmental protection, History, History and art, History images, Political cartoons, Rachel Carson, Science | Tagged: Art, Bill Mauldin, Cartoons, DDT, Environmental protection, History, Political cartoons, Rachel Carson, Science, Silent Spring | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Great cartoons: The Economist
April 26, 2009Best, wisest and most cynical cartoon of the week, on the cover of the current North American edition of The Economist:
Cover, The Economist, North American edition, April 25-May 1, 2009; illustration by Jon Berkeley
For a week at least, you can get the story behind the cover for free, here.
THE rays are diffuse, but the specks of light are unmistakable. Share prices are up sharply. Even after slipping early this week, two-thirds of the 42 stockmarkets that The Economist tracks have risen in the past six weeks by more than 20%. Different economic indicators from different parts of the world have brightened. China’s economy is picking up. The slump in global manufacturing seems to be easing. Property markets in America and Britain are showing signs of life, as mortgage rates fall and homes become more affordable. Confidence is growing. A widely tracked index of investor sentiment in Germany has turned positive for the first time in almost two years.
* * * * * * * * *
But, welcome as it is, optimism contains two traps, one obvious, the other more subtle. The obvious trap is that confidence proves misplaced—that the glimmers of hope are misinterpreted as the beginnings of a strong recovery when all they really show is that the rate of decline is slowing. The subtler trap, particularly for politicians, is that confidence and better news create ruinous complacency. Optimism is one thing, but hubris that the world economy is returning to normal could hinder recovery and block policies to protect against a further plunge into the depths.
The cover almost says it all, doesn’t it? Week in and week out, The Economist has great covers, a phase of newsstand-oriented journalism that I hope never goes away, regardless the medium.
2 Comments | Cartoons, Economics, Journalism, Political cartoons | Tagged: Economics, Journalism, Magazines, Political cartoons, Recovery, The Economist | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 